Community garden could train SA's homeless

Part of Adelaide's parklands could be turned into a community garden employing homeless people under a proposed research project.

Adelaide-based CQUniversity students Elisha Vlaholias and Tess Benveniste have taken out The Big Idea award - for enterprises with a social conscience - for their proposed Garden of Earthly Delights, which would train and employ homeless people.

"Participation in gardening promotes a sense of dignity among individuals experiencing homelessness, and has positive effects on self-esteem and self-efficacy," Ms Benveniste said.

Ms Vlaholias said the garden, based in the southern parklands, would benefit the city as a whole and could become self-sustaining.

The researchers say their project, if successful, could also be replicated across the country.